Chapter 545: Calm Down, Satan!

"Ah!" Red raised his head. "She’s getting up."

Khan nodded. "Time to go."

Both men straightened.

They had simply been waiting for Ashley to finish her conversation with June. From where they stood, they watched her say a few more things to him before turning and walking away.

Red took a step forward, ready to meet her halfway, only to pause when Ashley suddenly stopped.

Khan narrowed his eyes, studying her from a distance.

"She stopped," he said.

"Uh-huh." Red rocked his head. "She did."

He shook his head. "This doesn’t look good."

"Don’t turn around," Khan blurted out. "Madam, don’t—"

Too late.

Ashley turned around and faced June.

Even from this distance, they could feel the atmosphere around their boss change significantly.

Whatever June had said, neither man needed to hear the details to know it wasn’t good.

"Don’t walk back," Red muttered, feeling like he was watching a character in a movie about to make the worst possible decision. "Don’t... Just walk away..."

Ashley took a step toward June, and Red’s face twisted.

"Shit. She’s walking back."

Khan and Red didn’t waste another second.

They had no idea what June had said to make Ashley turn around, but they knew one thing—

They didn’t want their boss murdering someone in broad daylight.

Unfortunately, compared to Ashley’s distance from June and their distance from her, there was no chance they could reach her in time.

One second later, Ashley reached June.

She stomped one foot forward and drove her fist straight into his gut.

"Ohhh..." Khan stopped mid-step and winced.

Even from this distance, they could almost hear June’s ribs crack.

Worse, judging by Ashley’s stance... she wasn’t done.

"Shit—" Red breathed out before breaking into a run.

June hunched over as Ashley’s fist buried itself in his stomach, all the air violently knocked out of his lungs.

But Ashley didn’t let the momentum die.

Still in position, she shifted her weight and raised one leg as her upper body tilted back.

Then, she spun.

Her leg cut through the air in a perfect arc. And her foot slammed straight into the side of June’s head.

"Ack—!"

June didn’t even understand what happened.

One second, he couldn’t breathe.

The next, something crashed into the side of his face.

Before the pain could even register, he caught the briefest glimpse of something white flying out of his mouth.

A tooth.

Then everything went black.

"Motherfucker," Ashley huffed, taking another step toward his unconscious body. "Come here—"

"Whoa, whoa!" Red caught one of her arms while Khan grabbed the other. "Calm down, Satan!"

"Madam," Khan said firmly, "whatever he said, it is not a reason to murder someone in broad daylight."

"No." Ashley forced another step forward despite both men holding her back. "He’s asking for it. Let him have it."

"Stop it..." Red winced, pulling harder. "Khan, don’t let her touch him. Just drag her back."

Khan tightened his grip. "Madam, did you gain weight?"

Ashley stopped completely. Slowly, she turned her head toward him.

Red’s eyes widened.

"Excuse me?" Ashley asked.

At the exact same time, Red blurted out, "You stupid?"

*

*

*

Minutes later...

"Ugh..."

June groaned as his eyes fluttered open. His hand instinctively went to his jaw.

"Aw..."

Blood stained the corner of his mouth.

He ran his tongue along his teeth, only to pause when it slipped into an unfamiliar gap.

His eyes widened. "What the—ow!"

He tried to sit upright, but a sharp pain immediately shot through his ribs.

June hissed and slowly pulled himself up. Only then did he realize he was lying on the same bench from earlier.

A newspaper slid off his face and landed on his lap.

His expression twisted.

Those bastards had covered his face with a newspaper and left him there like some drunk sleeping in the park.

"That bitch," he groaned, touching the side of his face. "She really kicked me in the fucking face."

He shouldn’t have fallen for that cheap trick.

Ashley had literally announced that she was going to slap him, and like an idiot, he had prepared himself for a slap.

He should’ve known better.

Ashley wasn’t the type to slap people.

She kicked ass.

Once the pain became somewhat bearable, June leaned back against the bench.

His expression darkened.

"She’s going to regret this," he hissed, wincing as his fingers brushed the blood at the corner of his mouth. "How dare she kick me like that?"

His eyes glinted malevolently.

June pulled out his phone and called someone. It rang three times before the line connected.

"Pick me up," he snapped. "Now."

He ended the call immediately. "I shouldn’t have come alone."

June spat blood onto the grass.

"I’ll remember this."

For years, June had found Ashley and Isabella’s relationship fascinating.

One was the beloved heiress.

The other was treated so poorly that it could easily be considered abuse.

And Ashley?

She had been so starved for genuine kindness that all June had needed to do was offer her a little.

A few gentle words.

A little concern.

A helping hand every now and then.

That was enough for Ashley to see him as someone good; someone she could trust.

As for Isabella, she loved attention but hated commitment. Which made playing with both of them entertaining.

Even after Ashley married Lucian, June had enjoyed knowing he still held a certain kind of power over the two women—especially Ashley.

Lucian De Luca could easily kill him.

But he wouldn’t.

Because Ashley believed June was her friend.

And who wouldn’t enjoy having that kind of power over Lucian De Luca?

But now... Marshal was dead.

Isabella was missing.

And Ashley?

She was living a better life.

Not only that, but she had even managed to build a successful business for herself.

June snickered as Project Green crossed his mind—the project Ashley was so proud of.

"Did she forget that I’m one of the partners of one of her prospective business affiliates?" He scoffed.

What she had done today was definitely going to hurt her business.

And he would make sure she understood exactly how much.

"Sir."

June snapped out of his thoughts when a voice came from his side.

Seeing his driver, he nodded and pushed himself up.

"Fuck." He groaned, clutching his stomach.

"Do you need help?" his driver asked.

June raised a hand.

"Don’t mind me," he muttered. "Let’s just go."

"Yes, sir."

June followed his driver toward the parking area, where their car was waiting.

The driver opened the backseat door for him.

But the second June was about to climb inside, he stopped.

"Huh?" His eyes narrowed.

Someone was already sitting in the back seat.

"Who..." June whipped his head toward his driver.

The man stood motionless beside him.

Strangely, his driver didn’t look surprised.

"I just want to talk," said the person inside the sedan.

June frowned, his grip tightened around the open door.

Running would be pointless.

And whoever this person was, June doubted anyone would put a bullet in his head. At least, not that easily.

"Make it quick." He climbed into the back seat and settled beside the stranger. "I’m not in a good mood."

The man smiled, his eyes nearly disappeared behind his glasses.

"Then how about we start with how to bring Ashley Di Carpio down?" His smile deepened. "Perhaps that will lift your mood."

June froze.

Slowly, he turned his head toward him.

The stranger was still smiling pleasantly, as if he had merely offered to discuss the weather.

Then the man extended a hand.

"Memphis."